-THE PEREAN MINISTRY

-Jesus now enters into the Perean Ministry which lasted approximately three-and-a-half months 

 (approximately from the beginning of January to early April). 

-“The province Peraea extended from the Jordan and the Dead Sea on the west to the Syrian

 Desert on the east, and from the river Arnon on the south to the town of Pella on the north,

 nearly corresponding to the location of the tribe of Rueben and Gad.  The word means ‘beyond’

 and the country was sometimes called (Mark 10:1) ‘Judaea by the farther side of Jordan.’  It was

 inhabited during the New Testament period by Jews, among whom were established many

 villages of the Gentiles” (Hurlbut, pg 94).

-Jesus Withdraws From Jerusalem to Bethany Beyond Jordan

-John 10:40-42

-Jesus left Jerusalem and returned to the location where John had baptized.  John 1:28 identified

 this as “Bethabara beyond Jordan.”  This place is also referred to within manuscriptus as

 “Bethany beyond Jordan.”  The descriptive phrase, “beyond Jordan,”  distinguishes this location

 from the Bethany near Jerusalem, home to Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

-John has not performed miraculous deeds, but the people in that area realized that all he had said

 in regards to Jesus was indeed true.  Certainly, this would have strengthened their confidence in

 John as a prophet of God.  As a result of John’s teachings, they were led directly to belief in

 Jesus.